Published ranges (2026)
Annual premium per truck, as published by trucking insurance agencies:
- New authority, first year: about $15,000–$25,000 (TruckWriters) or $12,000–$20,000+ (AtoB)
- One to two years: about $12,000–$20,000
- Three or more years: about $9,000–$14,000
- Leased on to a carrier: about $3,000–$5,000
Treat these as rough guides. Agency blogs tend to quote the low end, and carrier forums regularly report new-authority quotes well above $25,000, especially in high-cost states. The American Transportation Research Institute put insurance at 10.6 cents per mile in 2025, up from 10.2 cents.
What drives your price
- Authority age: new authorities can pay 40–100% more.
- Driver history: an at-fault claim adds roughly 20–40%; five-plus years of clean CDL experience can cut 15–25%.
- Where you’re based: carriers domiciled in states like New Jersey, Louisiana, Florida and New York pay about 30–40% more.
- Radius and freight: long haul costs more than local; hazmat can double or triple the premium.
- Limits: $1M auto liability costs more than the $750K minimum, but most large brokers require it.
Levers that lower it
- Dash cams and telematics, which some insurers discount 15–20%
- Paying the premium annually instead of monthly (often 10–15% less)
- Shopping at renewal with at least three trucking-specialist agents
- Keeping inspections clean: out-of-service violations show up in underwriting
Is your quote fair?
Upload your declarations page or renewal quote to the free dec-page check. It reads your limits and premium, checks them against the brokers you want, and, as carriers share data, compares your premium with similar carriers. Benchmarks only appear once at least 10 carriers are in a group, so nobody can be identified.
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Check your insurance against the brokers you want.
Start with the free readiness check, then upload your dec page to compare limits and premium.
Questions carriers ask
Why is insurance so expensive for a new authority?
Insurers have no loss history for your company, and new carriers have historically had more claims. Price drops as you build a clean record, usually at the one- and three-year marks.
Does CarrierReady sell insurance?
No. We don't sell insurance or take commissions. The dec-page check shows where you stand and what to ask your agent.
Related guides
- Why brokers want $1 million auto liability
- Why your carrier setup got rejected
- What changed for small carriers in 2026
- Carrier requirements for the top brokers
Sources
- TruckWriters: owner-operator insurance cost (updated Sept 11, 2026)
- AtoB: owner-operator truck insurance cost statistics (updated Mar 18, 2026)
- FreightWaves on ATRI operational costs (July 15, 2026)
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This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice.